How to reset the SMC on Mac notebooks

To reset the SMC on a Mac notebook, first determine whether the battery is removable. Most older Mac notebooks have removable batteries. Mac notebooks that have nonremovable batteries include MacBook Pro (Early 2009 and later), all models of MacBook Air, MacBook (Late 2009), and MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2015 and later). Learn more about Mac notebook batteries.

If the battery is nonremovable:

Choose Apple menu > Shut Down.

After your Mac shuts down, press Shift-Control-Option on the left side of the built-in keyboard, then press the power button at the same time. Hold these keys and the power button for 10 seconds. If you have a MacBook Pro with Touch ID, the Touch ID button is also the power button.

How to reset the SMC on a Mac that has the Apple T2 Security Chip

Mac desktop computers with the T2 chip

After your Mac shuts down, press and hold its power button for 10 seconds.

Release the power button, then wait a few seconds.

Press the power button again to turn on your Mac.

If that doesn't resolve the issue, follow these steps:

Choose Apple menu > Shut Down.

After your Mac shuts down, unplug the power cord.

Wait 15 seconds.

Plug the power cord back in.

Wait 5 seconds, then press the power button again to turn on your Mac.

Mac notebook computers with the T2 chip

Try this first:

Choose Apple menu > Shut Down.

After your Mac shuts down, press and hold its power button for 10 seconds.

Release the power button, then wait a few seconds.

Press the power button again to turn on your Mac.

If that doesn't resolve the issue, follow these steps:

Choose Apple menu > Shut Down.

After your Mac shuts down, press and hold the right Shift key, the left Option key, and the left Control key for 7 seconds. Then keep holding those keys while you press and hold the power button for another 7 seconds.

Release all three keys and the power button, then wait a few seconds.

Press the power button again to turn on your Mac.

Learn more

Resetting the SMC doesn't reset or otherwise change the contents of NVRAM or PRAM on Intel-based Mac models.